How do I begin to prepare ????

Why Praxis ?? 35 states in US currently use Praxis for assessment purposes in CT - used for assessing skills of future teachers, assuring high quality teachers CT used ‘home grown’ assessments before development of Praxis series

Praxis I (reading, writing, and math skills) for entry into teacher prep program Praxis II (content area knowledge) before issuance of initial certificate, and for addition of other endorsements Why Praxis ??

Praxis tests required in Connecticut subject area test code test name qual. score art education art making art: content, traditions, criticism, & aesthetics art: content knowledge 157 biology biology: content knowledge 152 business educ business education 620 chemistry chemistry: content knowledge chemistry: content essays 140 earth science earth science: content knowledge function calculator permitted

elem. ed elem ed: curriculum, instruction, & assessment elem ed: content area exercises 148 English English language, literature, & composition: content knowledge English language, literature, & composition: essays 160 general science general science: content knowledge general science: content essays 145 health health education 680 home economics home economics education 630 Praxis tests required in Connecticut subject area test code test name qual. score

Praxis tests required in Connecticut subject area test code test name qual. score math math: content knowledge 137 middle grades (4-8) ** test(s) selected based on certification desired ** MS English / lang arts MS math MS science MS social studies 160 music music: content knowledge music: concepts & processes 150 graphing calculator required calculator allowed contains listening section

Praxis tests required in Connecticut subject area test code test name qual. score physical educ phys. ed.: content knowledge phys. ed: movement forms - analysis & design 154 physics physics: content knowledge physics: content essays 135 social studies social studies: content knowledge 162 special educ special ed: knowledge-based core principles 155 technology educ technology education 640

any World Language World language teachers no longer take the Praxis II exams. 2 ACTFL (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages) exams required:  Oral Proficiency Interview  Writing Proficiency Test information about this testing is available on the ACTFL web site: or the State Dept. of Ed. web site: Praxis tests required in Connecticut

What should I do to prepare for Praxis?? A. review components of test via Test at a Glance  2 hour time limit  130 multiple-choice questions  6 categories covered - US History, World History, Government / Civics / Political Science, Geography, Economics, Behavioral Sciences example : Social Studies

What should I do to prepare for Praxis?? example : Social Studies B. pay attention to number of questions in each content category & percentage of test those questions make  United States history questions % of exam  world history questions % of exam  government / civics / political science questions % of exam  geography questions % of exam  economics questions % of exam  behavioral sciences questions % of exam

What should I do to prepare for Praxis?? C. carefully review the “About this test” information – highlight wording that gives clues to the question format, information that may be given, skills that will be tested example : Social Studies ….The test requires the examinee to understand and apply social studies knowledge, concepts, methodologies, and skills across the fields of US history; world history; government / civics / political science; geography; economics; and the behavioral science fields of sociology, anthropology, and psychology.

C. carefully review the “About this test” information – highlight wording that gives clues to the question format, information that may be given, skills that will be tested example : Social Studies A number of questions are interdisciplinary, reflecting the complex relationships among the social studies fields. Answering the questions correctly requires knowing, interpreting, and integrating history and social science facts & concepts.

C. carefully review the “About this test” information – highlight wording that gives clues to the question format, information that may be given, skills that will be tested example : Social Studies The 130 equally-weighted multiple-choice questions consist of no more than 60 % knowledge, recall, and/or recognition questions and no less than 40% higher order thinking questions. Some questions are based on interpreting material such as written passages, maps, charts, graphs, tables, cartoons, diagrams, and photographs. Between 10 & 15% of the questions contain content reflecting the diverse experiences of people in the United States as related to gender, culture, and /or race, and / or content relating to Latin America, Africa, Asia, or Oceania.

D. review topics covered on test - compare to number of questions in each content category United States History - 29 questions / 22% of test / 13 topics…. What should I do to prepare for Praxis?? example : Social Studies  physical geography of NA  Native American peoples  European exploration & colonization  American Revolution  establishing a new nation  early years of the new nation  continued national development  Civil War era  emergence of the modern US  Progressive Era & the First World War through the New Deal  Second World War  Post-Second World War period  recent developments

D. review topics covered on test - compare to number of questions in each content category World History - 29 questions / 22% of test / 8 topics…. example : Social Studies  human society to approximately 3000BCE  development of early  ancient empires & civilizations  disruption & reversal  emerging global interactions  political & industrial revolutions, Nationalism  conflicts, ideologies, & evolutions in the 20th century  contemporary trends Government, Civics, Political Science - 21 questions / 16% of test / 4 topics  base political concepts & political theory  international politics  constitutional foundation & political system of the US  other forms of government

D. review topics covered on test - compare to number of questions in each content category Geography - 19 questions / 15% of test / 6 topics…. example : Social Studies  the world in spatial terms  places & regions  physical systems  human systems  environment & society  the uses of geography Economics - 19 questions / 15% of test / 4 topics….  Microeconomics I : scarcity, etc.  Microeconomics II : production & cost, etc.  Macroeconomics I : measures of economic performance  Macroeconomics II : national income determination Behavioral Sciences - 13 questions / 10% of test / 3 topics….  sociology  anthropology  psychology

What should I do to prepare for Praxis?? example : Social Studies E. determine content areas of strength & weakness & use study tips accordingly  create mixed study groups (within content area)  write lists of possible questions for content areas  seek out other students who have taken the test  seek out students with other majors

What should I do to prepare for Praxis?? example : Social Studies E. use a variety of test preparation guides available from ETS  Test At A Glance sample test - available via Praxis web site (free)  Test Study Guides - available for purchase via Praxis web site -  Professor’s Guide to the Praxis II Tests - available for purchase via Praxis web site  Diagnostic Preparation Program (only for re-takes) - available for purchase via Praxis web site

What should I do to prepare for Praxis?? example : Social Studies E. use a variety of test preparation guides available from Amazon  Preparation for the Praxis II Exam 2005; Joan Levy, Norman Levy; ARCO Publishing  Baron’s How to Prepare for the Praxis; Robert Postman; Baron’s Educational Series  The Best Test Preparation for the Praxis II MSAT Multiple Subjects Assesssment for Teachers; Research & Education Association  Multiple Subject Assessment for Teachers – Preparation Guide; Jerry Bobrow, Allan Casson, Michele Spence; Cliff Notes Pub.